U.S. Military English Language Requirement Under Fire

U.S. Newswire.com ^ | 8/9/2005

[Boston Blackie]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A retired Army colonel is currently circulating a proposal that would strike down the military's English language fluency requirement and permit Spanish speakers to take the entrance exam in Spanish. According to the Associated Press, retired Army Col. Michael F. Valdez is currently in contact with his Senators and officials at the Pentagon, hoping to have his home state of Oregon as a test location for the project.

[Happy2BMe]

Yes, it was the P.I.

What a source for matter of record that would have been had it ever confirmed it with you.

[DumpsterDiver]

I just presumed a legal status in this country would be required before any background checks could be conducted for classification purposes.

You are right about this. Enlistees are supposed to be either citizens or greencard holders. Somehow, those non-citizens (illegal aliens) slipped through the cracks.

[kellynla]

Well Pershing was in the Philippines from 1899-1903.
And my old man was still in short pants(born in 1896). LOL

[oh8eleven]

How could a non-English speaking trainee ever learn anything in order to graduate from boot camp? This has to be a hoax.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Does this idiot colonel realize that orders from superiors are issued in English? Or is his next proposal to be a requirement for all officer candidates to be fluent in Spanish?

[Happy2BMe]

Good thinking though. What language did you think about all this in?

[CaptRon]

Col. Valdez just hasn't been the same since that grenade went off in his helmet.

[ArmyTeach]

Yes, we do accept non-English speaking soldiers with the expectation that they learn English. I've had soldiers arrive at my Center with minimal English proficiency and within a year return to pass the demanding AFCT test, doing as well or better than many of their American colleagues. One of my favorites (Romanian) is just now completing his associates degree through our Center.

[Das Outsider]

Yeah, I can't find the outrage just yet. This is one retired Army Colonel with a proposal--its level of support unknown.

The U.S. English--excellent group--spokesman had it right: this is probably well-meaning but misguided. We'll have to watch and see if it goes anywhere.

Well I'll be....I actually agree with Dane on something.

[BruceS]

OK people, true story about why this is a VERY BAD idea. When I was in the Army as an Armor Officer (back in 1978) I took over a tank platoon of 5 tanks with crews. Prior to my arrival in the platoon, there had been one tank that had a crew of all Spanish speakers. One of them had marginal English language skills, so the thought was that they could give all commands inside the tank in Spanish. They went to gunnery and qualified. Just before I took over the platoon, one of the Spanish speakers was transferred (to my tank) and the person replacing him did not speak Spanish. The person who had the marginal language skills was promoted to gunner of the tank. When we went to gunnery that year, some things went wrong, which upset the gunner and the bottom line is that the crew was the only tank not to qualify out of our battalion that year. It wasn't that the man was a bad soldier (he wasn't) or a bad gunner (he was very good). It was just that when the heat was on, his lack of English skills cut just enough off of his performance that the crew did not work well enough together to qualify.

No one died. There was no permanent damage done. But if this had been real combat, this tank would probably have been one of the first to be hit and the crew would be dead. This is the United States Army. We need a common language.

[afnamvet]

Never happen.

[potlatch]

LOLOL, our new Foreign Legion!!

[Experiment 6-2-6]

I don't see a problem. I mean, the Roman Legions started relaxing the latin requirement, and look where employing the barbarians got them!

[devolve]

NUEVO LAREDO

[Happy2BMe]

Nobody does that like Marty Robbins.

(Wonder what he would say about all this mess?)

[potlatch]

Good song, I saved that one from you.

[dixiechick2000]

I like it!

Laredo bump!

[devolve]

 WE  DON'T  NEED  NO  STINKIN'  CITIZENSHIP! 

[potlatch]

Let's just call him 'shorty' or El Shorto!